Interesting Mauritania Facts
Mauritania is a coastal country located in Western Africa where it is bordered by Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Western Sahara and the Atlantic Ocean. It spans across 1,025,520 km2 of land. The estimated overall population of Mauritania is over 4,420,184.
Find out interesting Mauritania facts and information about this African country with our fact file for kids. Discover important facts about the population, location, size, climate, currency, flag, continent, language, people, culture, geography, landscape and landmarks of Mauritania.
Journey through Africa with our interesting Mauritania facts for kids based on questions such as: What continent is Mauritania in? What is Mauritania famous for? What is the geography of Mauritania like? What famous landmarks are there in Mauritania? What is the population of Mauritania?
Mauritania Fact File: Continent: Africa * Country Name(s): Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritania * Location: Western Africa * Bordering: Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Western Sahara and the Atlantic Ocean * Capital City: Nouakchott * Size: 1,025,520 km2 * Estimated Population: over 4,420,184 * Currency: Mauritanian ouguiya (MRO) * Language(s): Arabic * Country Code: +222
Interesting Mauritania Facts for Kids
Interesting Facts for Kids 1: Size & location facts
Mauritania is located on the continent of Africa, where it has a coastal position and is bordered by Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Western Sahara and the Atlantic Ocean. There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania). Africa is the second largest continent in the world, it has 54 countries, spans a total area of 30,370,000 km2 and forms 20.4% of the world's landmass. Mauritania is a coastal country that stretches across a total area of approximately 1,025,520 km2. It is a large country on the continent of Africa.
Interesting Facts for Kids 2: Population facts
The population of this African country is somewhere in the region of 4,420,184 people. The majority of Mauritania's inhabitants reside in Nouakchott which is the country's most populous city. Mauritania has an average population when compared to most other countries across the world, its overall population density is approximately 3 people per sq km. The estimated population of Africa is approximately 1,186,178,000 inhabitants, making it the continent with the second largest population in the world. The continents in order of population, starting with highest population first, are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia (Oceania Region) and Antarctica. The total population of the entire world is in excess of 7.6 billion people.
Interesting Facts for Kids 3: Capital & major cities
Mauritania's capital city is called Nouakchott. The names of other major cities situated in this country are Nouadhibou, Néma, Kaédi, Rosso and Kiffa.
Interesting Facts for Kids 4: Country borders
The following details provide a guide to Mauritania's approximate border lengths:
Coastline 754 km, Algeria 460 km, Mali 2,236 km, Senegal 742 km, Western Sahara 1,564 km.
Interesting Facts for Kids 5: Climate and geography facts
Mauritania has a desert climate that is characterized by consistently high temperatures and arid conditions. The geography of Mauritania is characterized by its barren desert lands of the Sahara. Central regions comprise of some hilly areas. The Senegal River forms the border between Mauritania and Senegal. It is a long river that measures approximately 1,086km in length. The lowest point of Mauritania is the Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha at -5m, and the highest point of elevation is Kediet Ijill at 915m.
Interesting Facts for Kids 6: Natural Resources of Mauritania
Natural resources can be described as materials and substances found naturally occurring on Earth. Natural resources are very important across the world, and can be exploited for economic gain. The level of resources that occur naturally in an individual country are influenced by varying factors such as the geography, climate and location of that country. Some countries are very rich in natural resources, where as others have limited to none. Countries that have particularly rich resources include Russia, The United States, Saudi Arabia and Canada. Three of the primary uses of natural resources are food, transport and construction. The following examples provide information on the everyday uses of natural resources: Fish occurs naturally in many bodies of water and can be caught for food consumption. Crude oils can be refined into various fuels in order to power vehicles/cars. Wood/timber can be extracted from forests and used to construct houses and furniture. The natural resources of Mauritania include iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil and fish.
Interesting Facts for Kids 7: Language facts
The official language of Mauritania is Arabic. A small percentage of the population speak other languages as a primary form of communication, such languages include Pular, Wolof, Soninke and French.
Interesting Facts for Kids 8: Religion facts
The main religion of Mauritania is Muslim. People belonging to the Islamic religion worship Allah. In the English language, the word Allah refers to God in Islam. Those belonging to the religion of Islam believe in one god. Most of Mauritania’s population are Muslim and follow the practices of Islam.
Interesting Facts for Kids 9: Symbols of Mauritania
Every country has its own unique culture, history and identity. Flags, symbols, emblems, mottos, songs, anthems and colors are used by countries across the world to represent national pride and identity. These national symbols are formed through the unique history of a nation and are symbolic of both hardship and prosperity, embodying freedom, strength and unity. Flags, emblems, colors, songs and mottos reflect the past, present and future aspirations of a country, and create an important image to the rest of the world. National symbols can represent a combination of things that are important to a country such as birds, animals, plants, geographical features, tools of agriculture, crops, and tools of war. The following facts depict some of the national symbols, songs and colors that are important to Mauritania:
National symbol(s): star and crescent
National colors: green and yellow
National Anthem/Song: Hymne National de la Republique Islamique de Mauritanie (Translation: National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania)
National Holiday(s): Independence Day, 28 November (1960)